How a Lead Management System Can Keep Your Office Organized

September 1, 2010 – 2:33 pm

Your leads could come from a huge number of sources – the Web, e-mail, direct mail, referrals, etc. A lead management system gives you one centralized place where you can store all your lead information and know that, when you return to it, it’ll be organized and updated.

You can only put so many filing cabinets in your office before you’re out of space. Plus, paper and printing can really add up after a while. With a lead management system, you won’t need ink and paper anymore.

You can also use your system to keep up with notes on specific clients so you will always have a place to find them. You won’t have to be faced with messy or illegible notes scribbled on a note pad next time you call.

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Lead Management and Keeping Up with X-Dates

August 31, 2010 – 3:11 pm

Being an insurance agent can be a serious juggling act. You’ve got to keep up with leads, selling policies to new customers, updating policies, follow-up e-mails and phone calls, staffing issues, finances, and plenty more. So it can be tough to remember everything, like when your current customers’ policies are going to expire.

That’s one of the ways a lead management system can really come in handy for you. A good lead management system will let you know when to make contact that make sure your customers know it’s time to renew their policies, or even send out an automated e-mail to remind customers it’s time to renew.

Then you can focus on making your agency grow to the top-selling agency you want it to be.

By iambrettpayne | Posted in Homeowners Insurance | Leave a Comment

Answer Questions By Asking Them

August 30, 2010 – 3:22 pm

So you’ve got a customer who’s just loaded up with questions about the policy you’re selling: The features, the cost, the coverages, everything. What do you do?

Ask him or her a few questions back.

While you should be careful not to overuse this technique, it is an excellent marketing strategy that increases the close rate significantly. Why? It leads the client to choose your service without even realizing it. As you ask the customer more questions, you lead him or her into building the policy for themselves. For instance, if a client asks if it is easy to add a family member to their policy, you could answer, “Would you like to add your
children now?” But be cautious. Getting a client into a game of 20 questions could come off as pushy.

So be subtle with it, but let the customer know you’re interested in building him or her a policy the customer will be comfortable with. They’ll appreciate it.

By iambrettpayne | Posted in Homeowners Insurance | Leave a Comment

Why Cross-Selling Can Really Help Your Agency

August 24, 2010 – 1:12 pm

Cross-selling can seem daunting, but the benefits from selling multiple policies to your customers are worth the effort. And it can be relatively easy, since you’ve already sold something to your existing customers.

The most obvious benefit is profit; two policies are better than one. But that’s not the only reason to cross-sell. It also gives you the opportunity to diversify your clientele in all the types of insurance you sell. You’ll be building a new line of revenue that can either replace or supplement an existing line. And because you are offering one-stop shopping, your clientele will continue to grow with customers who like having one all their policies in one place.

Statistics show that if a client holds more than one policy with an agent, he or she is likely to return to that agent for other types of insurance. All you need to do is offer it.

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Three More Pro Tips for Phone Conversations

August 23, 2010 – 1:28 pm

Add some “mhmms” and “ahs.” It may sound silly, but responding to a customer with a simple “uh huh” instead of dead silence shows the customer that you are listening while allowing them to continue what they are saying.

Get used to “no.” Then get past it. People are practically programmed to say “no” or give a negative response to salespeople until they’ve been convinced that the salesperson actually has something worth their time. It’s your job to try to overcome these negative responses. You don’t need a firm “yes,” just permission to continue with the conversation.

Talk like the customer. When the customer is talking, listen to what kind of language they use, particularly adjectives; then use it, when relevant. If the customer thinks you “talk like them,” they will subconsciously think you have a better understanding of what they need and the kind of product they’re looking for.

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3 Pro Tips for Phone Conversations

August 20, 2010 – 2:26 pm

Sometimes seemingly small things can make a big difference when it comes to talking to customers on the phone. Here are a few time-tested tips from top-selling agents that should make your phone calls go smoothly:

Smile. From the moment the customer answers the phone, you should be smiling. A smile can be heard over the phone—typically, your voice will sound more genuine and welcoming. This seemingly small action is subtle, yet results in customers being more inclined to like you and listen to what you have to say.

Stand. If you want to come across as strong and compelling, stand up during your call. You automatically express more enthusiasm and energy in your voice when standing and using good posture. Standing also makes it easier for you to project a clear voice.

Use the customer’s name. People like to hear their name. If you want to keep a customer’s attention from drifting, and keep them more involved in what you are saying, use their first name at least three times during the phone call.

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Why Automating Calls and Follow-up E-mails Can Make a Big Difference

August 19, 2010 – 12:40 pm

As soon as a lead gets fed into your lead management system, many systems have the ability to immediately send an e-mail to a client thanking them for their interest. That gets your foot in the door and makes the client aware of who you are and that you plan to give him or her a call.

Of course, you’ll have to make your own call – and soon – but the software can make that first step.

After you make contact with clients, your lead management system can keep up with what you’ve done. After a set amount of time, it can remind you to follow up with those clients you spoke to recently so that nobody gets lost in the process.

Any client you fail to follow up with is almost certainly a lost sale. In fact, studies show that companies who regularly and thoroughly follow up with potential clients have closing rates three times higher than those who do not. Many systems can even send their own follow-up e-mails that provide clients with new and useful information. A dialer system can help you manage your follow-up calls as well.

By iambrettpayne | Posted in Lead Management | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment

4 Tips for Getting Referrals from Colleagues

August 18, 2010 – 12:04 pm

Get to know other agents in your company. For a captive agent, it can be very beneficial to know agents in other cities or other states whom you can refer and who can refer you to customers who move.

Refer others. Independent agents don’t have the luxury of being able to get recommendations from inside their companies, so they have to use other methods. One good way to create a community of like-minded agents is to start referring your own customers to agents you like, or even other businesses related to the insurance you sell.

Join local business groups. Maybe get involved in your area chamber of commerce or an insurance trade organization. The more you get to know other businesspeople as human beings, the easier it will be for them to recommend you and for you to recommend them.

Use social networking. It’s a good way to get to know business colleagues as well as new potential customers.

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3 Reasons Referrals from Colleagues are Important

August 17, 2010 – 3:12 pm

Talk about referrals from customers is fairly common right now, but what about other businesspeople? Their opinions and recommendations are pretty important, too. Here’s why:

Customers listen to businesspeople they trust. If someone has a mechanic they like, they might ask him/her for a good place to buy a car stereo. The same goes for other industries. If someone has a life insurance agent he or she really likes, that person might turn to that agent to ask for help finding car insurance or health care coverage.

You’ll gain respect among your peers. Being well thought of within your own business community can only bring benefits to your agency. Your competitors will obviously still want to get to customers before you do, but at least there will be a mutual respect between you. Plus, gaining respect among other agents can help you get an influential spot on a local board or within a trade group.

Word gets around. If you become known as an “agent’s agent” other people will look to you as someone who does things the right way.

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What Not to Do With Online Referrals

August 16, 2010 – 1:40 pm

One mistake businesspeople sometimes make is to visit a review site like Yahoo! Local and Yelp, or even Twitter and Facebook, and respond to a bad review or a complaint with a defensive tone or, worse yet, a combative one. That’s counter-productive and only damages your reputation.

If you choose to respond to your online critics, always do so in a calm, helpful way that aims to make you look like a consummate professional with the tools and skills to solve even the biggest problems. Solving a customer’s issue in a public forum is a great way to show people you know what you’re doing.

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